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Trek of a lifetime

Reviewed December 2018

This is by far one of the best things I’ve ever done! It’s ticked off majority off my bucket list, it was just unreal! From getting to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, seeing las vagas (still unreal even if you are under 21) and seeing the Grand Canyon, it was all absolutely amazing it’s almost impossible to pick a favourite bit. I met some fab people and also had a fab tour leader who made the trip so fun.

Deep South BLT- Loved it

Reviewed November 2018

Just back from the most jam packed 9 days with the Deep South BLT. Seen so many things in so many different places. Never traveled myself before and never done anything like this before so was terrified before I went. I am 100% glad I done it and would do it again in no time.
Really think this is the best way to make the most of travelling around America, we seen so much you would probably miss doing yourself. Had the best time with the best people. Would totally recommend.

THE BEST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE & WOULD DO AGAIN!

Reviewed November 2018

I actually don't know where to begin!! Easily the best decision i have ever made to go on this trip! I am the biggest woose & love my home comforts, also massive over thinker & worrier. So if i can do this trip ANYONE can, i promise you that. The whole experience was just something you cant really explain, its just incredible and would recommend to everyone. From just being around the camp fires to the nights out in the cities was all amazing, Nashville was a great night out & our first bed after a few nights camping (which ive never done before btw). Every place was so different but i loved them all. Monument valley is just breathtaking its actually unreal!! We stayed in our tents to watch the sunrise in the morning, comfort and showers & still an epic view. Austin Texas - you are bonkers and i love you!! Myself and my tent buddy actually got matching tattoos hahaha! Yep thats how close you get to your Trek buddies - you bond with them so quickly & on another level to people you meet at home. Ive already met up with two of my trekkers twice & booked to go to Dublin with them over new year too! (we went in June 2018).

I could write so much about this trip but i would be here all day, if anyone wants more info or advice i am happy to be messaged on facebook.

I just cannot recommend this trip enough, i was so worried about it being such a big trip and going alone but hands down would do it all over again! Our tour leader was great, so enthusiastic and such a laugh, Harrison we love you!!! YOU GOT A NEW HAT!!! #TeamEverywhere

A wonderful whirlwind tour of California with amazing trek buddies

Reviewed November 2018

I joined this tour in San Francisco at the end of October 2018. On the first day of the tour we visited the Golden Gate Bridge and walked across to admire the views. We then headed to the stunning Yosemite National Park and hiked up waterfalls checking out the scenery and breathing the fresh air. The next stop was Vegas where we partied on a limo touring the strip, explored all Vegas hotels and casinos, had fun at Freemont Street and danced in clubs in Vegas. Both before and after Vegas we stopped at Route 66 to check out the diners, souvenir shops and to take amazing pics. The next stop was the awesome Grand Canyon where we watched the sunset and got up super early the next day to watch the sunrise, both magical experiences. We hiked around the Canyon and headed to Laughlin near the Colorado River to chill before heading to our last stop at LA. On the tour we checked out the Hollywood sign and the walk of fame. I was super lucky so be with such an amazing group of people that we all became friends. I would also recommend the tour guide Charlie, he was a great tour guide, made awesome recommendations about what to see and do, had a great playlist for the journey and was a lot of fun. This trip was one of the best travel experiences and I would recommend it...you won't regret it!

Amazing people, incredible places. Trip of a lifetime.

This tour was the most unforgettable week, not just because of the places we visited but also because a group of strangers became so close it was like we'd known each other for years.

The destinations of the tour are the reason I chose this one and every place we visited was truly amazing, all for different reasons. From walking the Golden Gate Bridge to hiking around Yosemite, touring the Vegas strip in a party bus to sunrise at the Grand Canyon, this trip had so many incredible places.

Our tour leader Charlie was such a cool guy and knew everything about where we were going. He made us feel totally at ease and gave us a lot of freedom when possible.

So much to see in so little time

Reviewed November 2018

The Trek America "San Francisco to New Orleans Plus" tour is part of the bigger "San Francisco to New York Plus" tour Trek America was trying out this year. Some people, even guides, hopped on and/or off at various cities along the way: Las Vegas and/or New Orleans. Our part of the bigger tour started on October 6th and ended on October 18th 2018. I really wish I could go back in time and buy the bigger tour because 13 days was not long enough to see and learn everything... not enough to get to know everyone on the tour better.

First, I need to clarify that I have tried pretty much every kind of way of travelling there is to try out out there: road trip on my own, overseas on my own, all-inclusive on my own, road trip with one or more people, tours overseas with people I know, tours and a cruise overseas with people I don't know, all-inclusive with people I know... Personally, there is no better way than to travel by myself because I set up the itinerary, times and budget. However, this was the best and most inexpensive way to see the South West of the US.

Don't get fooled by the age restraint Trek America set up on their page. I am 41 and they had me read and sign a waiver to prove I understood the possibility of not appreciating my trip because of the age difference with the other people on the bus. One way or another, there will always be someone who won't be happy with their fellow travelers if they expect them to do what they want instead of going on their own to do it by themselves. My tip: try both and choose the one that suits you most... It's your trip! You have to live with it!

I was lucky I made friends with two of my cotravelers prior to the trip and the other seven (5 of them I met in San Francisco and the 2 other joined us in Las Vegas) were very easy to get along with. Being a bilingual french canadian, my main trouble was switching my brain to full english mode from the get-go and trying to adjust it to the different accents (and various cultural references) because the other trekkers were from England, Ireland and Australia. The youngest of us was 23 and I was the oldest, but the average age was 33.

Our first guide (from San Francisco to Las Vegas) was a California born and raised young woman who was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable. Our second guide (from Las Vegas to New Orleans, and he went on with the others to New York after that part) was a very well organised and honest young man. From the start, both guides advised us that they didn't know the answer to our every questions, but would try to find it for us (or tell us to Google it; lol). They felt like friend and fellow travelers on this journey with us! Loved it!

We got to spend a lot more time with our second guide... 9 days instead of 3 for the first one, so we had time to get to know each other better. He always had the appropriate music playlist for the bus, made us watch interesting movies when on the road for a long time, had us do some activities that weren't on the original plan but were amazing (like Meow Wolf in Santa Fe), went out of his way to have our group go to a place I had requested (Family Business Beer Company in Austin) and made us celebrate Halloween in style in the streets of New Orleans. He was like a big (younger) brother! We even nicknamed him Jesus Eeyore Gump! ;)

I must admit that we did spend a bit too much time on the road and not enough in every city on the itinerary. I would say that this tour is more a sample of what there is to see and do so you can go back later on and spend more time in the different places you preferred... pretty much every single one of them. ;) I would strongly suggest to spend more than one day in San Francisco before the trip and same goes for New Orleans at the end of the trip. Don't end up like me, crying on the wharf wishing you had more time there...

Though the hotels we were staying at were conveniently located, they were really just average hotels (except for the Bally's in Vegas <3). Trek America usually being for camping trips, I shouldn't have expected more, but they all looked/felt the same. They did cover our basic needs, especially since we basically only spent time in them to sleep and get ready for our days out in town or on the road. Being on my own, I like that Trek America understood the importance of not sharing the room with the same person every night.

I was a bit disappointed that Trek America's website had promised things that we didn't get, mostly the breakfasts at every hotel... they weren't included in Vegas and we received no compensation for them... I suffer from gluten and lactose intolerances and none of the breakfasts were adapted for my food restrictions and I got no compensation for that either. However, I could always find something to eat at every restaurant we visited and did not get sick while on vacation, which is a big plus for me!

Unfortunately for us, we had to deal with unexpected low temperatures for this time of the year. It snowed in Santa Fe! We actually followed a cold front from Grand Canyon to Austin! But that is out of Trek America's power, right? Luckily, I come from Montreal, Canada, where it got colder than Siberia last year, so I can tolerate temperatures that cold... Well, I did have my light winter jacket with me! Always be prepared!

Amazing trip with amazing people

Reviewed October 2018

I had the best time ever! It's the best way to see as much of the USA as possible, really really good value for money. The people on the trip were amazing we had so much fun... I was 40 at the time of the trip so a little apprehensive before hand but needn't of worried :) I made friends for life and memories to last a lifetime just deciding which one to do next :)

Had the absolute time of my life!

I had the time of the time! I never ever wanted it to end. The friends I made along the way and the cool, exciting stuff we did will stay with me for the rest of my life.

My own personal highlights were;
The party bus in Vegas! Pretty much the greatest night of my life.
The helicopter tour over the Grand Canyon legit made me cry, I was so overwhelmed.
The tour in Monument Valley and getting to eat dinner with a couple of Navajo people was amazing. I had to stop filming them dancing/singing because I wanted to get lost in the moment, it was so inspiring.
Becoming junior rangers with Coca (A tour guide we had for three days at the start who was also great!) in Yosemite, which had such pretty views.
Visiting a Coyote Ugly bar in Austin. I can say I've danced on a bar now, woo!
The Texan themed room in Amarillo was hilarious. I didn't expect to have to go through Saloon doors to go into the bathroom, haha!
The bus journeys! Even though some of them were long, we all made them fun by singing, having banter and watching a couple of films.
Walking along Bourbon Street in New Orleans in our fancy dress. We had Snow White, Jesus, Jack Skeleton, a couple of vampires, a cat, a witch and a ghost buster! We got tons of looks and the whole night was just a huge laugh. A few of us got beignets from Cafe Du Monde at 2AM, which was a great idea as it sobered us up and we didn't have to wait in line for the famous pastries! Also I recommend getting a hand grenade. Those things are strong but they last forever!
Also, making some amazing friends and hopefully future travel buddies!

Our tour guide, Taylor, was an awesome guy. Very approachable with a great sense of humour. Always answered any questions we had and joined in with our groups very sarcastic banter. Was great at giving directions and nothing was ever too much trouble for him.

I don't know what else to say really, the trek was the best time of my life. On my last night I (might) have shed a tear or two saying goodbye to everyone, I never wanted it to end.

To some it up, some old American dude got chatting to me at the airport and he told me I'd seen more of America in those two weeks than he had done in his whole life. Do you get much relaxation? No. But do you make memories that last a lifetime? A thousand times yes!

Great time - but not impressed with Trek America.

The Tour: It's not the first time I have travelled on a group tour. I chose this tour because I wanted to see New Orleans, and the travel dates were convenient.

Having travelled from Las Vegas to New Orleans with Trek America, I consider that Trek America compares less favourably than competitors such as G Adventures.

This tour is too ambitious - it tries to cover too much in a short space of time, so travellers are almost obliged to book pre / post accommodation in Las Vegas and New Orleans.

We effectively lost two days travelling by bus on the longer stretches of the trip, and had no free time in Santa Fe (albeit the group chose an excellent activity over free time due to the weather). Overall, the tour didn't allow for much free time, which felt a little like being chaperoned.

However, the sights we did see were spectacular, and it's a great feeling to have ticked a few more states off the list.

The People: I was fortunate in that the others on the tour were lovely, and I have definitely made new friends.

The Accommodation: The accommodation in each location was of a good standard, and conveniently located for the most part.

The Tour Leader: I don't rate the tour leader highly at all. He did not seem very knowledgeable about the places we visited, spoke in a derogatory way about some locations, and made up information for fun. One stop seemed to be scheduled so he could meet a friend for lunch. The town was picturesque, though. Another friend / colleague of his joined us for dinner on another evening. I'm not sure if there is a Trek policy on that.

At best, he was a driver - and even then, I challenged him on repeatedly texting whilst driving.

It might have been beneficial to have had a larger group with both driver and tour leader.

In addition, some of this tour leader's behaviour was very unprofessional - really lewd comments at dinner to young women in the group (whilst in a family restaurant), and making obscene gestures to passing motorists at one of our stops.

This person is an ambassador for Trek America, and my lasting impression of Trek America is not good. For future trips, I'll make my own travel plans or choose a different tour provider.

Response from TrekAmerica:

Thank you for taking the time to review this tour.

The US is vast and we appreciate it can appear that a lot of time spent is travelling. Road tripping is at the heart of our tours which are carefully crafted to ensure plenty of stop offs at points of interest, for the group to enjoy road side attractions as well as city and national park highlights.

We understand that due to bad weather you were forced to detour to Durango instead of Farmington which took more time than expected. We always get positive feedback about Durango, so we are pleased you got to experience this town that is not normally part of the tour.

Tour leaders often meet with friends during their free time and are encouraged to introduce them to their passengers to give them a more authentic American experience. We are sorry to hear you did not enjoy the extra company.

Taylor is deeply sorry if any of his actions or comments let the experience of the tour down for you. This was Taylor’s first year leading for TrekAmerica, and after comprehensive training, he has received an overall customer feedback score of 5. This is the highest possible rating. We're sorry this does not reflect your own experience. We will be working with Taylor on areas of development.

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